This Magic Moment
by april-karev
Summary: It's funny how your life can change so fast sometimes. One minute they're laying in her bed singing Celine Dion and the next she's fighting for her life in a battle with Leukemia and he's wondering if he could ever face the world without her by his side.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This AU fanfic is a collaboration written by BelleChloe and myself. So make sure you go check out her page. Our only beta is spell check so if you spot any errors be kind and we'd really love to get some reviews. Thanks guys. –fmjl11**

_This Magic Moment _

_Ch. 1 _

"Morning baby." Rachel smiled, leaning over in her bed to plant a kiss on the boy's lips. It had been like this for about a month after they'd finally admitted that there was something more between them then just the physical attraction and so far it had gone great. Sure, they disagreed, and when they argued it got pretty good but they knew better than to ruin something this good over the fact that he forgot to put the toilet seat down again. "Can you make waffles? I'm starving."

Chris looked over at his girlfriend, the morning light shining in the window behind her, illuminating her beauty. He was thrilled with their relationship thus far. Things were going great and they hardly spent a moment apart. For once in his life, Chris Keller was starting to fall for someone. A smile came across his lips as he tucked loose strands of her long, red hair behind her ear. "Let me just do one thing first," he said softly before brushing his lips against hers again. He climbed out of bed, sliding a t-shirt on and headed into the kitchen and started to make breakfast.

Rachel smiled as she watched him walk out of the room, a smile gracing her lips as she stretched out over the bed only getting up when the smell of waffles drifted up the stairs. She pulled on one of his t-shirts as she made her way into the kitchen her arms finding there way around his waist from behind. "You look sexy when you cook for me, you know that?" she said, placing a soft kiss on his shoulder blade. "I knew I had a reason for keeping you around."

Chris set down the pan on the stove and turned to face her. "And you look sexy in my shirt," he replied, his arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her into him. "That's why I keep you around," he teased and kissed her nose. "I think I may have actually outdone myself this time. But I'll let you be the judge of that." Chris turned and took a strawberry from the bowl on the counter and brought it to Rachel's lips

"Mmm, maybe I little bit." She responded, smiling a bit as she chewed. "I like that you spoil me." She moved over to the kitchen counter and got out some plates and silverware. " Chris brought the food over a couple minutes later, the redhead immediately reaching for a waffle. "Shit. Shit. Owe. Hot." She complained as she tossed it onto her plate, glaring when the boy let out a laugh. "You're mean." She pouted as she poured some syrup over her plate.

Chris rolled his baby blues, bringing Rachel's fingers to his lips. "There all better," he smiled. He fixed himself a plate and carried it over to the table, pouring two glasses of orange juice and handing her one. "Yeah, I definitely outdid myself with these," he mumbled, his mouth full of food. "Hey, I'm supposed to meet Brooke later...do you want to come with me? You guys have barely spent any time together since we got together. Is everything ok?" he asked, taking another bite.

"Everything's fine." Rachel replied, looking over to the boy with a light smile. Truthfully, there were a lot of reasons why Brooke and Rachel had gone there separate ways. The most recent being that the day she and Chris had finally started a relationship the brunette had the nerve to tell her that she had feelings for her now boyfriend. It was a short conversation after that, the girls basically agreeing to go there separate ways and remain civil for the sake of the cheer squad. Not that Chris knew anything about this of course. "I have that appointment anyway, remember but maybe you can come back over later and we could watch a movie, cuddle on the couch a little bit." She smiled. "Order a pizza."

Chris' smile grew as the words escaped her lips. "That sounds perfect, Rach," the boy said as he stood from his chair. He walked over behind her, bending over and kissing her cheek. "I got the dishes this time." As he started to clear the table, his phone buzzed on the counter, Brooke's name and picture popping up. He looked back at Rachel who was finishing the last little bit of food left on her plate and hit the ignore button. Nothing and no one could disturb this perfect morning for them, not even his best friend. The musician slid his phone in his pocket and walked over to the sink, starting to do the dishes. Chris broke the silence between them by singing Rachel's favorite song, "Cowboy Take Me Away" by the Dixie Chicks. He never really got her odd obsession with the Dixie Chicks but enjoyed teasing her about it. As she walked into the kitchen, he started belting it out singing off key purposely.

"Stop you're ruining it!" Rachel whined, covering her ears and letting out a groan. "You're just mad they sound better than you." She smacked his back lightly when he continued to sing. "Stop." She repeated, "Pleaseee."

Chris laughed, finally stopping his screeches. "Alright, I'm sorry. Just stop hitting me!" He turned, wrapping the redhead in a hug. "Why don't you go shower, and I will have everything done out here by the time you get out." He pressed his lips to hers before smacking her ass as she walked away.

The girl made her way back up the stairs and hopped in the shower, somewhat listening for him to come up after her as she massaged the shampoo into her hair. When she stepped out 20 minutes later she immediately went down the stairs, pouting at him from where he sat on the couch in the living room. "I thought that take a shower was actually code for shower together." She pouted.

Chris smiled and patted his lap, wrapping his arms around her as she sat down. "I guess I should have been more clear. Sorry, baby." He kissed her cheek, leaning back and pulling her into him. "I could sit like this forever; just holding you in my arms." The blonde took in a deep breath, taking in Rachel's scent. "Maybe we should just forget our plans and spend all day in bed together."

"I can't." she whined. "I already rescheduled this meeting once last week when you wanted to stay in bed all day I can't do it again, but if I could you know there's nothing I would like more than to spend the day in bed with you." She spun in his lap to face him, pressing quick kiss to his lips before speaking up again. "But we still have a couple hours to kill before I've got to go."

Chris arched his eyebrow, sliding his hands under her thighs and lifting her up off the couch. As she wrapped her legs around his waist, he carried her up the stairs into her bedroom. "Hmm, a couple hours. What could we do in a couple hours?" he smirked, laying her on the bed and climbing on top of her. His lips brushed over hers as he gazed into her green eyes. "Have I told you how beautiful you are, lately?"

"A couple of hours?" she questioned, "We could watch Titanic again if you want." She teased, running her finger over his bottom lip before she continued. "Sexy, yes. Beautiful, no." she replied, stretching out over the bed from underneath him. "You might have to give me just a teeny tiny reminder." She grinned.

"_Near, far, wherever you are_

_I believe that the heart does go on_

_Once more you open the door_

_And you're here in my heart_

_And my heart will go on and on…"_

Chris sang, laughing as Rachel covered his mouth. "You're beautiful, Rachel," he said, seriously. He leaned down, pressing his lips to hers, his hands grabbing hers bringing them above her head with their fingers locked in one another's.

"I'm gonna tell everyone you sang Celine Dion to me." Rachel teased before bringing her lips back to his. "You're gonna lose your bad ass rep."

"I can make anything look bad ass. By Monday, every guy in school will be serenading their girlfriends with Celine Dion songs," he replied, falling off to the side of her. "You loved it and you know it."

"Oh will they?" she laughed. "But I was hoping it would just be our special thing since I loved it oh so much." She continued, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Like we might have to Copyright it or something. Nobody can use it except for us during our Chrachel time."

Chris laughed hard. "During our Chrachel time?" he mocked, a smile on his face. "I like that. Deal, serenading you with Celine Dion is just my thing." He rolled over, head resting on his hands. "She's better than the Dixie Chicks."

"Uh, no." Rachel responded automatically. "I don't understand how you can not appreciate all of the talent the Dixie Chicks have to offer." She continued, glaring when Chris sent her a'here we go again' look. "Baby, they're like iconic, you're just weird."

"Oh _I'm _weird?" he asked, rolling his eyes. "Riiight. A guy sings one Celine Dion song and never hears the end of it," he laughed, rolling back on top of her. "I gotta meet Brooke soon, baby. I'm gonna get in the shower." He kissed her forehead and stood up, walking to the bathroom. "I'll be out in a bit."

By the time Chris is back in her bedroom the redhead if fully dressed and putting the finishing touches on her make-up. She looks at him through the reflection of the glass and winks as she adds some blush to her cheeks. "Have fun on your date with Brooke." She smiles once he's dressed. "Try not to have to much fun without me."

"Don't worry, I'm pretty sure it's just a fling," he teased, kissing her cheek. "Have fun in your meeting. I'll see you later tonight, right?"

"Right." She replied, leaning up to press one last kiss to his lips. "Have fun, see you tonight." And with that the boy was out the door, honking the horn as he went.

Rachel walked into the doctor's office about an hour later, sitting down on the small bed. "Rachel." The man said as he walked into the room, sitting down on the chair in the corner of the room. "We've gotten your results back and I'm afraid it's not good news."

"Just spit it out." Rachel says, "Taking your time isn't gonna change what you have to say."

"The tests came back positive." He said, "There's no easy way to say this but I'm afraid that you do have Leukemia. I'm here if you have any questions at all don't hesitate to ask, but we need to start talking about treatment options right away."

Rachel managed to nod though everything he said was going in one ear and out the next. Leukemia? She can't have cancer. She just can't.


	2. Chapter 2

_This Magic Moment_

_Ch. 2_

It was nearly 9:00 when Rachel heard a knock on her front door. She hadn't even left the couch since she had arrived back home hours earlier, the girl completely gripped with fear as she thought over everything the doctor had said. She was pulled from her thoughts when the knock got louder, the girl trying in vain to clean off the stain left behind by tears that had long since been dried. When she opened the door to see Chris standing on the porch, smiling without a care in the world, she immediately lost it. She fell into his arms right there on her font porch. Her fingers dug into the fabric of his shirt as if she couldn't hold on tight enough. She didn't dare look up, loud sobs escaping her lips as the redhead completely fell apart in his arms.

Chris' smile completely faded as the girl fell apart in his arms. The young musician had no idea what was going on or why she was upset, so he just held her close, his lips pressed against her head. As the cries slowed down and she managed to catch her breath, Chris dared to ask the question. "Rachel, what's wrong?"

Rachel shook her head; knowing that once she spoke the words out loud there was no going back. No hiding, or pretending that it wasn't happening, acting like everything was okay. Once the words were out everything would change.

"I h-have cancer." She spoke finally, her bottom lip trembling. Her voce was barley a whisper and she wondered if he could even hear her.

"You-you what?" Chris asked, lifting her chin. Something was clearly wrong, and for Rachel not to just open up and talk to him about it, he knew it had to be bad. "Come on, let's go inside. It's chilly out here," he said, wrapping his arm around her waist and leading her inside.

They walked to the couch and both sat down, Chris trying to get her to make eye contact with him. "Rachel, baby, please talk to me. You're really scaring me right now." Chris took her hand in his own, squeezing it tight.

"Cancer." She said again, her eyes focused on where there hands were laced together, looking anywhere but at him. "I said I have cancer." She finally managed to get out.

A huge lump formed in Chris' throat, his eyes immediately filling with tears. "You-you have cancer," he repeated back to her in a whisper. "But how-I mean what-" Chris wiped his eyes quickly, trying to be strong for his girlfriend when really all he wanted to do was breakdown right there in front of her. Slowly he lifted her chin, causing their eyes to meet. "When did you find this out?"

"Today." She said quietly. "At the meeting." She swallowed, "I didn't think it could happen to me." She admitted quietly, "They said it was just a precaution. I don't know what to do. I just, what do I do?"

Chris sat there looking at his girlfriend, trying to think of something, anything, to say that would make her feel better about this. But what could he say? Nothing. He just wrapped his arms around her and pulled her body into his, resting his chin on her shoulder. "I would have gone with you, Rachel. I should have been there instead of out with Brooke," he said softly, stroking her hair.

"No." she said immediately, pulling away and suddenly standing from the couch. "You can't. We can't. You should go." She said, running her fingers through her hair. "Please just go."

The boy sat there on the couch, confused. "Please don't make me go, Rach. I want to be here with you." He stood, cupping her face with his hands. "Don't push me away, baby. Please." Chris locked his eyes with hers, fighting back tears.

"It's better now then in a month when I start puking my guts out and losing all of my hair." She responded. "You don't want to go through that and I'm not gonna pretend that I want you to stick around and watch it happen."

"I'm going to be here, Rachel," he replied, immediately. "Through everything. I-I love you," Chris said softly, almost too soft to where she couldn't hear him. He wasn't sure if he should tell her or not, but he knew now was as good a time as any.

"You shouldn't." she replied, "You'd be better off without me, I'm a lost cause. Fucking damaged goods."

Chris kissed her cheek, before pulling her over to the mirror that was hanging above her mantle. He faced her body toward the mirror, his hands lightly on her shoulders. "Look at the girl in there. What do you see?" Before she could answer Chris spoke up. "I see a strong, beautiful girl who can handle anything. A girl with a good heart and perfect smile. Someone I admire, a girl who makes me want to be a better person. Who has made me a better person." Chris kissed her neck. "We're going to get through this, Rachel. Together. I'm not going anywhere, no matter how hard you try to push me away."

"I'm scared." She said softly, leaning back against his chest and closing her eyes. "I'm not strong enough for this."

You're strong enough to handle anything," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her. "We just...take it one day at a time."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked after a moment. "I know you're a good guy, and I know that maybe you do love me but I won't blame you."

Chris turned her around, so that they were facing one another. "I'm not going anywhere, Rachel. You're going to get through this, and I am going to be there every step of the way, holding your hand. I promise."

"I kinda love you back." Rachel said after a minute, her lips curving up just slightly. "Just so you know. I was kind of fighting it before, but I don't want to anymore. I don't want to waste anymore time."

With that said, Chris grabbed her face and brought her lips to his. "I don't want to waste any more time either," he said, pulling away and looking deep into her eyes. "I love you, Rachel." A smile spread across his lips, as he brushed the hair away from her face and tucking it behind her ear.

The girl let out a deep breath. Her mind was still running a million miles a minute even with the great moment that had just happened. "I start treatments on Tuesday. Will you come with me?" She asked. "And when I talk to Brooke, I don't think I can do it alone." Even with everything that had happened between them she felt that the brunette should hear it from her before word started getting around.

"Of course," he breathed, pulling her into a tight embrace. Chris knew that things were about to start getting difficult, but he knew he was going to be there for the girl he loved no matter what. "Are you still up for our relaxing night?"

"Can we just go to bed?" She asked, "I'm sorry I ruined our day. I have a feeling I'm gonna be doing that a lot in the future." The girl's arms wind around his waist and pulling him forward, her lips finding his. "Thank you for this."

"Let's go to bed, baby," he said, kissing her again. Chris picked the girl up and carried her upstairs to her room. He laid her on the bed and climbed in with her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into him. "I'm always going to be here, Rachel."

"Thank you." The girl said, pressing a light kiss to his lips and snuggling into his side. "I love you."

The redhead was up for half the night, thinking over everything that had happened in the last few hours her doctor's words echoing in her mind.

"_We need to be as aggressive as we can." He said, "Right now our highest priority is to get you into remission. I'm not going to lie to you, we're catching it later than we may have hoped but I believe we can get you back to normal."_

"_Be real with me, what are my odds?"_

"_Right now about 50/50." He said, "It all depends on how your body reacts to the chemotherapy." _

From this moment on the redheads life was no longer about becoming captain of the cheer squad, or the prom queen, but simply to live. To fight in this battle with her own body and come out on top. From this moment on her life would never be the same.


	3. Chapter 3

_This Magic Moment_

_Ch. 3_

The day had finally come, the day that Chrachel was going to tell their best friend about Rachel's cancer. And in the same day she would start treatment. The last few days consisted of the couple lying in bed, spending every minute of everyday with one another. Chris held his girl in his arms as much as he could, and Rachel let her boyfriend do so. They knew this day was coming, both dreading it a bit, but they knew this was the start of getting Rachel better and healthy.

Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep.

"Grrr," Chris groaned, rolling over and hitting the alarm. "Rachel...Rach it's time to get up." He rolled over to find his girlfriend gone. The panicked boy jumped out of bed and ran downstairs. "Rachel!"

The redhead sat at the kitchen counter, coffee mug in hand as she saw Chris enter the room. "Sorry, I couldn't sleep." She admitted, "I've been up for a couple hours I just didn't want to wake you." She nodded toward the coffee maker, his empty mug sitting next to it. "I brewed some for you if you want it."

"Thanks," he replied, walking over and pouring himself a cup. Silence filled the kitchen as the two sat there, both unsure of what to say. "Are you ready for today?"

She shrugged, "Who's ever ready for any of this?" she asked, her cup slamming down on the table with a bit of force. "It doesn't matter if I'm ready I don't have a choice." She snapped, clearly frustrated and on edge.

"Hey baby calm down, okay?" Chris walked over and took her hand. "You have to stay positive about this. I know it's hard for you, but you gotta try."

"You can tell me to calm down when you have a 50% chance of dying!" Rachel snapped back. "You don't have any idea how hard this is for me, or how much harder it's going to get."

Chris opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. What could he say to that? Rachel was right. He had no idea how she was feeling or what she was thinking. No matter how hard he tried, she wouldn't open up to him about this, and he didn't want to push her to.

"We should go upstairs and get ready," he said after a few minutes.

The redhead pulled on a pair of sweat pants and one of Chris' old t-shirts. She's been told to dress comfy because sessions can last up to seven hours. They were going to see Brooke first and on any normal day she wouldn't be caught dead wearing this outside of her house, but this wasn't a normal day. She pulled her hair up as she waited for Chris to finish getting ready and pulled her bag over her shoulder. The two exited the house without a word.

As they sat in the car, the only sound to be heard was the roaring of the engine. Rachel didn't even bother to turn on the radio like she usually did. The two would constantly battle over who gets to choose the station, Chris always using the phrase "My car, my radio." Then Rachel would bat those green eyes of hers, making Chris give in to her.

Chris placed his hand on her leg, rubbing it softly. He wasn't sure if he should say anything, knowing that there was nothing he could say that would make this day easier for her.

Blue eyes shot over looking at the redhead who seemed so far in another world. She stared out the window just watching the surroundings pass by. "I love you." he finally spoke up in a whisper.

"I love you, too." She finally spoke as they pulled into the familiar drive. The girl closing her eyes and taking a few deep breaths before they climbed out the door. Brooke was in the living room when the pair walked in, the brunette immediately giving Rachel's outfit choice a disapproving once over.

"Please don't tell me you guys are here to announce that you're pregnant." The brunette said, "Not that I can think of any other reason to leave the house looking like that."

The redhead's eyes immediately filled with tears. To tired to keep up with her usual happy go lucky attitude. She mentally kicked herself when one of the tears rolled down her cheek, crying in front of Chris was bad enough and now she was losing her shit in front of Brooke to.

"Brooke, it's not that. Rachel has some news that she wants to tell you." Brooke stood up, the confusion obvious in her face. "Actually, you better sit down B." The trio all took a seat, Brooke sitting back down on the couch and Chris sitting in the chair across from her with Rachel on his lap. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder blade as she squeezed his hand.

"You two are acting weirder than usual and it's really scaring me. What happened, Rachel?" Brooke asked, scooting forward and sitting on the edge of the couch. "Please just tell me." Brooke knew that things between her and Rachel hadn't been the greatest lately, and for Rachel to willingly come to her house with news she needed to share...it had to bad.

"I wanted you to hear it from me." Rachel mumbled, "Cause I know that word get's around in this town." She swallowed, looking down and avoiding the other girls eyes just as she had done with Chris. "I have cancer. I found out a few days ago, and I start treatment in a couple hours."

"Shut up, that's not funny. Seriously, what's going on you guys?" Brooke asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Brooke, Rachel has cancer," Chris said with his voice breaking. Saying it out loud was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do. Saying it out loud made it feel real and true, and it was.

Tears immediately filled Brooke's eyes, the girl instantly beginning to weep. "No, you-you can't have cancer. You just can't."

Rachel's body shook just slightly, tears falling more consistently now. "I can't d-do this." The girl said, suddenly standing from Chris' lap and heading for the front door. She needed the fresh air. She needed to escape. She was outside within seconds, the girl taking a seat on the cement steps leading up to the house and burying her face in her hands.

Back in the house Brooke sat, shocked as the redhead made her speedy exit. "I made her upset, I'm sorry." The girl managed to get out. "Go. She needs you."

The boy nodded his head and quickly went after Rachel. "Hey, you okay baby?" he asked while taking the seat next to her. His hand rubbed up and down her back, not quite sure how to comfort her in that moment.

"This can't be happening." The girl cried, "It can't. I'm just a kid, I can't handle this." The boy continued to rub her back and a few minutes passed before the girl spoke again. "I'm gonna die." She said quietly, finally speaking the words that she had been thinking to herself for days now.

"Hey." he lifted her chin, "I don't ever want to hear you say that again. You're going to fight this, Rachel. You're going to come out of this and we're gonna have our future together." Tears filled his baby blues as she finally looked into his eyes. He wrapped her in a tight embrace, trying to keep his composure.

"Tell me about it." She said the request muffled against his shirt as he continued to rub circles around her back. "Tell me about our future. What it's gonna be like?"

Chris had laid in bed the night before going over everything in his mind. To be honest, the young musician was thinking about his future with Rachel. He thought about what it would be like to not have her in his life anymore, and that was a thought that made him feel like life wouldn't even be worth living. He thought about marriage and where they would live. He even thought about the possibility of having children.

"Well, I see myself spending the rest of my life with you. That's something I have never said to anyone else. But I know it's true with you because when I look into those gorgeous green eyes, I see my forever. I see us getting married and moving into a place of our own." A smile came across his lips as he thought about everything, the sadness and fears just sort of melting away.

"You're amazing." Rachel said, looking up at him from the spot against his chest. Chris leaned down and pressed a kiss to the girls waiting lips. "I love you for everything. F-for staying, and not giving up on me. I couldn't do this without you."

"I told you that I am always going to be here, and I mean it. You and me, Rachel." Chris kissed her forehead. "Should we go back inside to Brooke now?"

"Give us just one minute OK?" Rachel asked, standing when Chris nodded and heading back into the house. Brooke was still sitting in the same spot where they had left her, her train of thought seeming to break when Rachel sat down in the chair next to her.

"We need to talk about what you said." Rachel said slowly. Watching the girl's reaction.

"Rach, I…"

"Please don't take him from me, Brooke." Rachel pleaded, her head resting against the palm of her hands. "Please, he's all that I have."

"I would never, not when you-"

"When I have cancer." Rachel interrupted, "Nice to know the friendship thing only applies when I might be dead in a couple months. I just wanted you to know, we can go back to ignoring each other now."

Chris walked back in after awhile, hostility clearly filling the air. "Whoa, what's going on in here?" He walked over to Rachel, resting his hand on her shoulder. "You okay, baby?"

"I'm fine." Rachel replied, "Can we go now?" The girl asked, looking away from Brooke and up to where Chris stood behind her.

"Yeah, of course. We should get going to the hospital anyway." Chris turned to Brooke, giving her a smile and hugging her. "We'll see you later, B."

The two walked out and got in the car, again silence filling the air. "You gonna tell me what happened back there?"

"No." she said simply. "Don't worry about it." She shifted in her seat, turning to face him. "It's just boring girl stuff anyway, no big deal."

Chris put his arm around her and pulled her into him as they continued to the hospital. "I'm glad you told her, Rachel. I know that she'll be there for you. For us," he said then placed a kiss on the top of her head.

When they got to the hospital the two of them were immediately walked back to a small room, Rachel's heart dropping when she saw the IV machine sitting in the corner. Chris took a seat in the corner of the room while Rachel hopped up on the bed. The nurse prepped her arm, while giving her a brief rundown on what was about to happen.

"It should take about two hours." She said, "Feel free to read or listen to music while you're here, just try not to move your arm, we don't want the needle to move more than it has to."

Rachel nodded as the doctor walked in, the redhead quickly motioning for Chris who was at her side in an instant, holding her hand.

"You might feel a little pinch when I put in the needle but other than that it's relatively painless." He said. Rachel's grip on Chris' hand tightened when the needle pushed through her skin and into her vain, the girl grinding her teeth just a bit. The doctor then took a few minutes to discuss the possible side effects of the treatment, ranging from hair loss, to nausea and fatigue. "The nurses will be back in soon to check on you, don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions."

Rachel and Chris both thanked him as he walked out the door, the girl's eyes now shifting between the needle in her arm and the boy who still sat in his place beside her. "Thank you for coming. It's probably gonna be really boring."

"Probably, but I wouldn't miss this. And I'm not going to miss any other appointment either, okay? I promise." Chris leaned over, kissing her softly.

They exchanged I love yous just as the nurses walked back in to check on her, the two hours ticking by slowly and she knew she should probably get used to that, this was part of her life now, the battle only just beginning.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: ChloIE wrote this chapter. So direct any awesome comments toward her. Have a good day and remember to review.**

_This Magic Moment_

_Ch. 4_

The weather was perfect outside, not a cloud in sight. There was a gentle breeze that blew through the trees, crisp and refreshing. The day representing the opposite of everything that Chris Keller was feeling. The blonde musician walked along the sidewalk trying to get some perspective on life, quickly becoming unsuccessful. What was the point anymore? The one thing he lived for had a 50% chance of surviving and there was absolutely nothing that he could do about it. His feet shuffled along the concrete below, his head lowered and eyes glued to the ground.

"Chris?" a voice called out from across the street.

Chris lifted his head to look and see who was calling his name. "Oh hey, Brooke," the boy replied as she made her way across the busy road.

"Whoa, bad day I'm guessing." The cheery brunette grabbed his hand and led him to the bench outside the cafe. "Talk to me, hun. What's going on?"

"What's going on? My girlfriend has cancer. That's what's going on." Chris's head fell, his eyes watching as his fists clenched. "I'm supposed to be there for her and make everything better, but I can't. I can't fix this and it kills me."

Brooke placed her hand delicately on his back and ran her fingers up and down. "I'm sorry, Chris. I know how much you like her and want everything to be okay."

Blue eyes shot up and connected with bright green ones. "I don't just like her, Brooke. I love her. I'm in love with her. She's my everything. The reason I get up in the morning." His blonde hair swiped across his forehead as he shook his head.

"Wow, I didn't know that you lo-loved her. It hasn't been that long, Chris. Are you sure? I mean, maybe you just think you love her because of the situation she is facing. And what happens when all is said and done? You're going to be left heartbroken, Chris, and I don't want that for you."

Chris shook her arm off of his back. "What the fuck are you trying to say, Brooke? You think that I am going to lose her? That she won't come out of this? Thanks for your support." He stood to his feet, looking down on her. "I thought you were her friend. That you'd be there to help and support her through this but I guess I was wrong. You just stay away from us, Brooke. I mean it." The blue-eyed boy walked off down the sidewalk never once turning back.


	5. Chapter 5

_This Magic Moment_

_Ch. 5_

Sirens blared out their bedroom window, leaving Chris feeling nervous. Anytime he heard an ambulance or even just the slightest noise at night, it made his heart stop. Eyelids squeezed shut over gorgeous baby blues, the musician trying to get just an hour of sleep. For the past couple of nights Chris couldn't get any sleep. He just laid there watching his redheaded girlfriend lay there with her eyes closed. His aching body rolled over to put his arm around Rachel but noticed that she wasn't there.

"Rachel?" he called out, climbing out of bed. "Rach-," he stopped when he heard commotion coming from the bathroom and quickly opened the door. "Oh my god," the blonde breathed out, eyes widening at the sight in front of him.

"The door was shut for a reason, Chris." Rachel managed to say before she heaved again, emptying the contents of her stomach into the toilet. "Go back to bed, I'm fine." She'd spent at least a half an hour on her knees in front of the toilet. She was exhausted, the lack of sleep definitely taking its toll on her as she rested her head against the cool porcelain stool. "Go to bed." She repeated when she didn't hear him make a move for the door.

Chris had seen Rachel puke a million times, both getting too drunk and not being able to control it. "Rach," he whispered, kneeling beside her, "it's okay. I'm not leaving." Strong hands pulled back red hair and tied it into a ponytail. "We both knew this was coming, I just didn't know this would happen so soon," the blonde said, rubbing her back.

"It's gross." Rachel responded, not even bothering to look up as she spoke. "I'm supposed to go talk to principal Turner today about the home schooling options and I'm gonna look like shit. Everyone's gonna stare." She added, her insecurities showing. "Everyone's knows."

Chris looked down at the floor. Everyone did know, he had heard the whispers and saw the stares they got around town. "It's nobody else's business, Rachel. Who cares what they all think? You never did before, and you shouldn't start now." Chris knew it was going to take a lot to get his girlfriend to feel better about all this. "I'm going to stay home and do the schooling with you. I don't need to go back."

"Yes you do." Rachel argued, her eyes finally meeting his. "I'm not letting you miss out on your senior year because of me, OK? Chris opened his mouth to speak and Rachel cut him off. "No! You're going to school, and I'll be fine."

"I'm not leaving you, Rachel! I'm not going to sit in those damn classrooms all day and worry about you! I won't do it. I'm going with you to see Principal Turner." Chris sat down and rested his back against the side of the tub. "Please don't make this harder than it has to be, baby. I told you that I am going to be here for you every second of every minute of every day. And I meant that."

"You have a life other than me." Rachel replied, "I don't want you to miss out on it cause you made a stupid promise. It's not fair."

"No." Chris shook his head, "You are my life now. I made that promise because I love you." The cocky blonde watched as Rachel finally pulled away from the toilet. He stood and grabbed a washcloth, running it under some cold water. "Nothing is going to scare me away, Rachel. I'm not leaving." Chris kneeled down and handed her the damp cloth. "Please let me be here for you."

"I don't want you to regret not being there." Rachel admitted as she wiped her mouth and stood up, reaching for a glass of water sitting on the sink. "I don't want you to look back at your life in 10 years and wish that you'd never missed out and resent me for it."

"That could never happen," the boy replied, also standing to his feet. "The only thing I would regret is not being here...with you." Tears formed in the young musician's eyes as he stepped closer to the broken girl in front of him. "10 years from now, I want to look back and know that I was here for the girl I love. We are both going to look back on this and remember it as just an obstacle in the way of spending the rest of our lives together." Chris raised his hand, his fingers tucking her hair behind her ear while blinking the tears from his glistening eyes. "I know that things are going to get worse from here on out, and I want you to know that no matter what you can lean on me."

The girl closed her eyes, nodding her head lightly as a tear rolled down her cheek. "I love you." She whispered, squeezing his hand a little as she opened her eyes and reached for her toothbrush. "Thank you." She said as she brushed, "I know you get tired of hearing it, but I don't know how else to say it."

Chris wrapped his arms around her waist as she finished. "I never get tired of hearing that. Come on, let's get you back in bed." The blonde pulled the girl by her waist out of the bathroom and led her to the bed. Blue eyes gazed down at her soft, smiling face. "Through everything, you still look beautiful."

"You have to say that." Rachel argued, a smile still present on her face. "Come lay with me, you look tired."

Chris laughed and fell down to the right side of her. "I'm fine, you should get some sleep though. I know how tired you are, babe." He pressed his lips softly to her forehead, his thumb running softly along her cheek. "I love you, Rachel."

"Love you back." She replied, leaning into his chest and just breathing him in. They both fell asleep a few minutes later; both to tired to keep their eyes open any longer.

When the alarm went off a couple hours later both of them groaned, the redhead rolling out of bed and putting on makeup for the first time since she'd found out about the Leukemia. She kept it light, just a little eye shadow and some blush to contrast how pale she actually was. Chris, being the boy he was took the opportunity to sleep the extra 20 minutes and Rachel shook him awake, lightly pressing a kiss to his lips. "It's time to go, baby."

Chris blinked his baby blues a few times, smiling as he felt her soft lips against his. "How about 5 more minutes of this?" he asked, pulling her lips to his once more. A frown appeared on his face when she shook her head, red curls bouncing along her shoulders. "Okay, okay, I'm coming." Chris rolled out of bed, got dressed, and then brushed his teeth. "Alright, you ready to go?" As the beautiful girl nodded, Chris took her hand and out the door they went.

"I've never not wanted to go to school more in my life." The girl said as Chris pulled into the parking space, the redhead looking out at all of the kids she'd know her whole life. They seemed so different now, so happy and carefree. Chris squeezed her hand, sensing her anxiety. "Let's go before I change my mind." She said before he could speak.

The pair exited the car then, walking out of the lot hand in hand. People turned and starred as they passed and Rachel's eyes shifted down as she heard someone whisper, the girl moving further into Chris' side. They made there way into the school just as the bell rang for first period, the hall emptying as the couple stood in the office. They were called into Mr. Turners office a few minutes later, the pair taking a seat in the two chairs in front of the desk.

"I've discussed the situation at hand with both of your teachers, and the school board has approved your request for temporary home schooling." Mr. Turner said. "You will both need to come in at least once every other week to discuss progress." He looked over at Rachel again, "If you need to make other arraignments just let us know and we'll try our best to accommodate you."

The teens nodded and the man pulled out a few binders and set them up on his desk.  
>"This is the work that you're expected complete for the rest of the semester. We wish you both the best of luck and I, along with many others, are praying for your safe and healthy return."<p>

"Thank you, sir. We will get everything done and on time, I promise." Chris shook Principal Turner's hand then took the binders, and the two walked out of the office. The blonde turned to Rachel as they exited the office and kissed her cheek. "You feeling okay-," the musician was cut off by a moody blonde cutting in.

"Rachel, is it true? You're not coming back?" Peyton asked, concerned eyes but arms folded across her chest. Clearly one to always give mixed signals, so it was hard to know what she was really thinking or feeling.

"I—no. I'm not. At least not for a while." The girl responded. "I'm sure the cheer squad will be okay without me, don't worry about it. Everything will be fine." She continued, the words sounding weak in her own ears.

"I'm not worried about the squad, Rachel. I'm worried about my friend," the curly-haired blonde replied, resting a delicate hand on the redhead's slender shoulder. "You're going to be okay, right? I mean, you're going to get through this. You're tough, Rachel. And if you guys need anything, please let me know, ok?" Hazel eyes shot over to Chris, giving a look that made sure he heard her. The musician nodded then Peyton wrapped her tiny arms around Rachel, squeezing her tight. "We'll miss you around here. It won't be the same." she said before turning and walking away.

"Thank you." Rachel responded, swallowing the lump in her throat as Peyton walked away. They were nearly to the parking lot when Rachel heard her name called from behind them.

"We'll miss you around here." Lucas called, as he jogged to catch up with the pair. "Both of you. It'll be boring here without you." The oldest Scott brother pulled Rachel into a hug then, pressing a friendly kiss to the top of her head. "You focus on getting better, alright?"

A soft smile came across the musician's lips as he saw how supportive everyone was being. Everyone except Brooke, that is. Blue eyes fixated on the brunette as she stood across the parking lot, watching the small group gather around the young couple.

"Chris, you make sure and take care of her alright?" Lucas commanded with a smile.

"You got it," the boy replied, the two bro-hugging. "I should really get her home, though, you guys. She needs to get in bed."

They all said their goodbyes, tears being shed and hugs being given. Chris and Rachel got into his car, the engine starting to roar. Chris pulled his girlfriend's body into his as he started down the road. "You feeling okay?" he asked, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Um, OK I guess." She replied. "I just wasn't really expecting that, you know. I didn't know people liked me enough to miss me."

"Of course everyone cares about you. You're awesome," he laughed, pulling her closer. "Who are you going to miss the most?"

"I don't know." Rachel shrugged, "Maybe Bevin. She's just always smiley, makes it hard to stay down no matter how pissed you might be. I'll miss cheering, I liked it more than I care to admit."

"I knew it. I could see it in your eyes when you were cheering." Chris pulled into Rachel's driveway, and put the car in park. The boy rushed to the other side and opened the redhead's door, helping her out and into the house. "You want to go lay in bed, or do you feel up for doing something?"

"I could be up for something." She replied, pulling him in by his belt loops. "What did you have in mind, Keller?"

Strong hands grabbed the redhead's small wrists, bringing her hands to his lips. "Anything you want," he mumbled, his lips now pressed to hers.

"I think I can think of a few things." Rachel responded, walking backward toward the couch, a laugh escaping her lips as they fell into it. The kiss continued for a few minutes before Rachel suddenly pushed him away, covering her mouth as she ran toward the bathroom, the sound of her getting sick again echoing through the house. The redhead let out a loud groan when she finally came up for air, kicking herself for ruining the moment.

Chris gave her a couple minutes then followed her into the bathroom. "Hey, how's it going in here?"

"Fine." Rachel responded. Looking over at him. "This fucking sucks. I'm sorry." She said. "So much for having a romantic evening."

"Please don't apologize, baby. It's gonna happen and you can't prevent it. It's fine." Chris moved down to the floor with her. "I'll plan a romantic evening, don't worry. It will happen for us. But tonight, let's just get you up to bed."

She nodded her head, the girl brushing her teeth again before the couple went up the stairs, quickly falling asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

03/18/2012

_This Magic Moment_

_Ch. 6_

Beep..Beep..Beep.

"Ughhh," the blonde groaned, slapping at the alarm sitting next to him on the nightstand. Blue eyes opened slowly, reading the bright numbers displayed on the clock. 8:30. The boy let out another long sigh then rolled over to face his girlfriend.

"Rach it's time to get up, babe," came a low whisper, the boy's hand stroking the redhead's hair. As he retracted his rough hand, red hair was laced around his fingers. An alarmed body shot up with widened blue eyes in disbelief. "Fuck," he whispered, seeing loose strands of hair along his girlfriend's pillow.

"What?" Rachel asked, not even bothering to open her eyes as she responded. "Can't we just sleep for like one more hour… or five?" When Chris didn't say anything she finally rolled over, eyes immediately landing on the red hair still hanging between his fingers. Her mood shifted instantly, though she tried her best to hide it, the girl swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat as she ran her own hand threw her hair, coming back with more of the same result.

She knew this was coming. It was a huge surprise that she had even kept her hair as long as she had, already a month and a half into her treatments. It shouldn't have been as big of a shock as it was and yet here she was, on the verge of tears over something as silly as loosing her hair. It was like her hair was the last thing that made her feel normal, attractive even, and now it was gone. Taken from her like every thing else had been since she discovered she had cancer and that fact alone made it all the more worse.

Chris watched her for a second, unable to read her at first. As he saw the tears form in her eyes, he instantly grabbed her hand. "Rachel, it's okay. It's not that bad right now," the boy said softly.

"Yeah, right now!" She argued, "But what happens when I get in the shower, or next week? It's not like it's gonna get better!" She pulled her hand from his and rolled out of the bed, the small girl beyond fuming. "This was my last perfect thing. The last thing that reminded me of who I used to be and it's just gone, just like that."

The boy remained in bed, watching Rachel pace around the room. "You're still you, Rachel. Just because this is happening doesn't mean that you've changed as a person. I fell in love with you because of the person you are \on the inside, not how you look."

"Yeah right, like you would have even given me a second look if I looked like this." Rachel scoffed. "You know that it's true. It doesn't matter how good of a guy you are."

Chris stood to his feet, walking slowly over to the redhead. "Babe, we knew this was going to happen. They told us, remember? It's not a big deal, Rachel."

"It's a big deal to me." She argued. "I know its just hair, and it sounds so stupid but I just, I feel like I'm not me anymore. I used to feel so good about myself, like nothing could touch me and now I don't feel confident, or sexy, or even pretty like I did before. I can feel myself slipping away and I just don't know what to do to make it stop. I just want to be me again."

Chris didn't know what to say. He had no idea how to make her feel better about this. The redhead had always been seen as a goddess. Every girl wanted to be her and every guy wanted to get with her. And now that all this was happening, no one would feel the same way as they did before.

"Rach, you're still beautiful. I look at you and fall even more in love with you. I understand that this is hard for you, but just know that you're still everything you were before...to me."

The girl let out a breath, her eyes shining with fresh tears. "You're to good for me. I don't deserve any of this."

Chris looked at her, a smile on his face. "Rachel, you have been so brave through all of this. You're allowed to have a weak moment here and there."

"But you're so strong, through all of this." She replied, "You've been here every step of the way without any hesitation, even when I tried my hardest to push you away. I wish I could just have an ounce of your strength."

"I'm here because I love you, Rachel. I don't hesitate because I want to be here for you." Chris looked down, tears forming in his baby blues. "But the truth is, I'm scared," he whispered softly.

"Of what?" she asked, her voice cracking, "You'll be fine, you have to be. No matter what might happen to me."

"I don't wanna think the worst, baby. But I can't stop thinking about what it would be like to live life without you." Chris clenched his fists, trying hard to keep the tears from running down his cheeks. "I'm scared of losing you, Rachel. I can't lose you," he said with his voice nothing above a whisper. He couldn't bring himself to look at her. She couldn't see him crying, he was supposed to be strong for her.

"Baby," Rachel said, her hands rubbing up and down on his arms. "You have to promise me that if something happens to me you're gonna be OK."

Chris shook his head. "I can't promise that, Rachel. I won't be okay without you. We're supposed to be together forever. I'm counting on that." The tears continued to fall as the young, scared musician fell apart right there in front of his girlfriend.

"You are my forever, Chris, okay and in a perfect world we would have all of it, the house and the wedding and the family. But you need to know that it's okay if I'm not yours because if worse comes to worse there's nothing that we can do about it. It's okay if you love someone else, or you see your future with somebody else someday, I just want you to be happy."

Chris looked up at Rachel. "Please don't talk like that. You're going to get through this. We are going to get through this, together. You're going to beat this and then we are going to start our life together. You'll see."

"Baby, we have to talk like this. We have to." Rachel replied, "I just need to know that you're going to be okay if this doesn't work. If something happens."

"Stop!" Chris yelled, sadness turning into anger. "Stop saying that kind of stuff to me!" He walked over to the window, looking out it with tears in his eyes. "This isn't fair."

"You think this is easy for me?" Rachel screeched. "To admit that I might d-die. That you might have to find someone else, this sucks for me too."

Chris walked over to Rachel, grabbing her shoulders and making her look at him. "You're not going to die. You hear me?" The blonde-haired boy bit his lip as the tears made their way down his cheeks. "You and me, together forever."

"You and me." She agreed quietly, a few tears sliding down her cheeks. "I love you."

The musician leaned in, softly pressing his lips to hers. "I love you too," he whispered while pulling back. He kissed her forehead then walked into the bathroom. A sudden buzzing sound filled the combined rooms. Chris lifted his arm, pressing the razor to his head.

"What are you doing?" Rachel asked, leaning against the doorframe and looking at him through the glass. "Chris, no. You don't have to do that, okay."

The blonde ignored the girl to the left of him and continued to shave his head. He finished the last spot, making sure it was all even and set the razor down. "I said that we'll face it together," Chris said walking to Rachel and taking her hands in his own. "And I meant that."

"You shaved your head for me?" Rachel asked, tilting her head a little bit and removing her hand from his to run it over his head. "You really love me, don't you?"

"Of course I love you, Rachel. You're my everything." Chris brought her hand to his lips. "We should get you back in bed, baby. You need to rest."

"I can rest in a couple hours." Rachel replied, "This haircut kinda does it for me." She grinned, pulling him into the bedroom. "I'm feeling good today, baby, how bout that romantic night?"

The boy laughed and nodded, the two finally able to reconnect with each other.


	7. Chapter 7

_This Magic Moment_

_Ch. 7_

Chris walked in the front door of the house, a large box in hand. The young couple had been through hell lately, and he knew that he had to do something to lift the girl's spirits.

"Rach! Rachel, come down here for a minute!" Chris called up the stairs, setting the box down on the floor. He straightened the bow and sat on the couch, anxiously waiting for the redhead to come downstairs.

The small girl made her way down the stairs minutes later, what was left of her hair up in a messy bun on the top of her head.

"I was napping, what do yo-" she stopped as she saw the box sitting next to him on the floor, her eyes lighting up just a little. "You got me a present?" She grinned, "It's not our anniversary is it?"

"Umm I don't know," he laughed. "This is just because I love you, and want to put a smile on your face." Chris watched her eye the box, obviously eager to open it. "Well? Go ahead baby, open it."

Rachel was on the floor in seconds, a light gasp escaping her lips as she pulled off the lid and a little head popped out, the tiny dog immediately climbing out of the box and onto Rachel's lap. The smile that spread across her lips was bigger than either of them had seen in a while.

She realized he must have paid more attention to her than she gave him credit for, the dog everything she could have ever wanted, a white English Bull Dog with a couple brown spots mixed in here and there. "Chris…" she said lightly, her eyes locking with his as her hands continued to move, petting the dog. "Thank you."

The blonde felt relieved that she was happy. "Man, I've missed that smile," Chris said softly, moving to the floor next to her. "What are you going to name him?"

"I don't know." Rachel replied, scooping the dog into her arms and looking her over. "Name, name, name…" she mumbled to herself. "What about... no. I kind of like… no." Silence filled the room for a few minutes, the girl trying to come up with the perfect name for the new addition to her family. "Toby." She spoke finally, "I like Toby."

Chris smiled, reaching out and petting the puppy in his girlfriend's lap. "Toby, huh? I guess he looks like a Toby." The blonde musician wrapped his arm around the redhead and kissed her head. "I'm glad you like him."

"I do." She smiled, reaching up and brushing her lips over Chris'. "Thank you, for everything. I couldn't do this without you."

"Anything for my baby," the boy replied with a smile. "I was thinking maybe we could take him to the park," Chris said, standing to his feet. "Do you feel like going out?"

"I-I don't know." The girl said, pulling her knees into her chest, eyes glued to the small dog that was still perched in her lap. "I don't know if I want to see anybody."

I don't want them to see me like this…

"Oh come on, it will be a lot of fun." Chris kneeled down picking up the puppy and bringing him in front of his face. "Please, Rachel? I really want to go." The boy laughed putting down the dog when Rachel rolled her eyes. "It will be good for you to get out, baby. You've been cooped up in the house too long."

"Okay." Rachel said after a couple minutes, the redhead finally standing to her feet. "We can go. You're right, it'll be good."

Feeling a little relieved that she agreed to go out; Chris let out a deep breath then kissed her forehead. "I am going to go change real quick. Can you get all his stuff together? It's all there in the box." He kissed her again before running upstairs to their room.

Rachel looked into the box, pulling out the food and water dishes and the small bed that laid at the bottom before coming up with a leash, the girl fastening it onto the dogs collar. "You're so cute." She spoke to the dog. "Now we just have to wait for Christopher, he takes like 90 hours to get ready."

Chris came running downstairs in shorts and a t-shirt. "You ready to go beautiful?" he asked, putting his arm around Rachel.

"He prefers handsome." Rachel replied, sending a light grin Chris' way as she picked up the dog and cuddled it to her chest. "Lets go."

The three made their way out to the car, Chris carrying everything and Rachel carrying the puppy. As they pulled out of the drive, Chris looked over at his girlfriend noticing the smile on her face. "I have missed seeing that," he said, reaching over and rubbing her leg.

"It's been a while." She agreed, her hand landing on top of where his still laid on her knee. "I needed this, so thank you."

Chris put the car in park and climbed out, rushing over to Rachel's side and helping her out. Blue eyes scanned their surroundings, people and dogs covering the area. "Looks like everyone had the same idea today."

The small girl leaned into his side as they made there way around the park. A comfortable silence drifted over them as they walked, the couple stopping every couple of feet to let Toby sniff or do his business. "I love you, you know that?" She said when they stopped again, the redhead sending a light grin his way.

"I know," the boy replied with a smile. "I love you too." Blue eyes followed the puppy around, Toby sniffing every inch of the ground they covered. "Go play with him, babe."

She winked at him quickly before charging at the dog, the duo rolling around on the grass, Rachel's laugh echoing through the park, a sound neither of them had heard in so long. When she finally caught the dog in her arms she planted a kiss on his forehead. Chris' eyes were on the pair when the familiar brunette made her way up to the boy, this being the first time they had seen each other since that day at the school.

"How's she doing?" Brooke asked as she approached.

"She's fine," Chris replied with a harsh tone. "Why are you here?" The blonde tried to stay mad, but watching Rachel roll around with the dog having fun brought a smile to his face that wouldn't fade.

"Look, Chris...can we talk? Maybe over there." The brunette motioned toward a shaded part under the big tree.

"Brooke, I really think you should just go. Rachel is finally happy and having fun, I don't want to ruin that." Chris watched his girlfriend, who was giving him a concerned look. He waved his hand, motioning that it was nothing and she continued to play with Toby.

"I came to apologize, Chris. I was way out of line. I guess my feelings for you just got in the way of me being a good friend." Brooke lowered her head, faking wiping at her eyes. "I'm just sorry."

Chris sighed, and out his arm around his friend. "Wait. Your feelings for me?" The confused blonde took a step back. "You have feelings for me?"

Brooke lifted her head and nodded. "Well yeah, I thought...I thought Rachel would have told you that."

"Rachel knew about this?" Chris asked, both confused and a little angry.

"She didn't tell you. Well that makes this a little awkward." Brooke looked at Chris then Rachel. "I should probably go."

"No, Brooke. You stay there," Chris replied, as he walked over to his girlfriend. "So Brooke has feelings for me?" he asked loudly, heads turning toward the couple.

"Well, yeah." Rachel responded immediately. "I didn't tell you, because I didn't think it mattered."

"It doesn't matter?" Chris mocked, throwing his hands in the air. "You should have told me, Rachel."

"Why?" The redhead shot back immediately. "Why did you need to know? Unless you… you like her?"

"What? No!" Came the immediate response. "She is just my friend, Rach. I'm in love with _you_. I just thought that you would have told me something that big. Is that why the two of you don't talk anymore?"

"Bullshit." Rachel spat, unsure of why she couldn't just accept his answer. "If you didn't feel anything for her then it shouldn't matter if I didn't tell you. You should just understand that the fact that my best friend having feelings for my boyfriend is wrong and not something I would want to waste my time talking about."

Chris' gaze went back to where him and Brooke had been standing, only to find her gone. He looked back at his girlfriend. "Rachel, you know that I'm in love with you!"

"Now maybe." She replied, "But you would have left me in a second if you would have known about her feelings before."

"How can you say that, Rachel? Brooke is just my friend. She has always been just my friend, I have never looked at her the way I look at you." Chris looked up, noticing a crowd of people surrounding them. "Look, can we just take Toby home and talk about this there?"

"Yeah." Rachel responded, the ride home eerily silent, both teens to stubborn to say what was on their minds. As soon as the car was in park Rachel hopped out of the truck and made her way back into the house, Toby on her heels.

"Don't be with her." Rachel said when Chris finally made his way into their bedroom. "If something happens to me." He opened his mouth to interrupt and she held up her hand. "Just let me finish. If something happens to me, I want you to be able to move on… just not with her. Please, not her."

"Nothing is going to happen to you, Rachel. You need to quit saying that." Chris slowly made his way into the room and sat on the bed. "I don't feel anything for her. It just came as a surprise, and I'm sorry I got angry."

"Just promise me." She pleaded, eyes swimming. "Please."

Chris took her hands in his own and pulled her over to him. "I promise, Rachel." He didn't want to make that promise because by doing that, it meant that he thought something was going to happen to her. "But nothing is going to happen. We're going to be together forever, okay?" Strong arms wrapped around the girl's small waist, and he pulled her closer to him. Soft lips pressed against her stomach, resulting in Rachel falling on top of him. Chris looked deep into her eyes before pressing his lips to hers.

Whimpering echoed in the room, Toby scratching at the blanket draping off the side of the bed. "Not now, we're busy," the blonde mumbled against the redhead's lips.

"You're such a neglectful daddy." Rachel said into his lips, pressing one final kiss to them before crawling over to the other end of the bed and picking up the small dog. "He says 'I hate you.'" She teased, doing her best to imitate the dog.

Chris let out a laugh while scratching the dog's head. "I'll train him. When mommy and daddy are playing, Toby is not." The boy flashed a cheesy grin at Rachel then kissed her cheek.

"Is it weird that I liked it when you said mommy and daddy?" she asked quietly, leaning into his side while looking down at the dog. "That I think about having that with you someday when I'm only 18."

"I think about it too, baby," Chris replied, his arm around her squeezing her tight. "We're gonna have it someday. We're only 18, but to me that doesn't matter."

"Good." Rachel smiled, "I love you, and I'm sorry for being mad earlier." They both laid back on the bed then, Toby falling in between them as all 3 drifted off to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

"Achoo!" Chris sat up in bed, reaching for the box of tissues, once again. "Damn it," he mumbled, bringing the white cloth to his nose. The blonde had been up all night sneezing and coughing. The only time he could really breathe was when he took a deep breath, which killed his chest. His head hit the pillow, bringing the sheet to cover his face. "Rachel, I think I'm sick," the boy whispered.

"No way?" Rachel teased. Leaning over and planting a kiss on his forehead as she stood up, "You wanna go see the doctor during my appointment, I don't mind, I promise."

Chris nodded his head. "I guess I should. I don't want you to catch this too." Blue eyes peeked over the satin sheet, eyeing the perfect body in front of him. "You know, it's really unfair to look that sexy when I can't even kiss you," the boy whined, pouting his lip.

"You could kiss me if you wanted to." She argued, "Just, you know, not on the lips or whatever." She pulled a t-shirt over her head then, brushing out her hair as she winked at him. "Go call the doctor."

The boy climbed slowly out of bed and got dressed. "I'll be downstairs." He couldn't control the coughing coming from his mouth, his chest hurting worse with every breath he took. Finally he managed to call the doctor, making an appointment to come in right away. With Chris being sick around Rachel, the doctor had major concerns that the redhead's situation would become much worse. "Rach!" he attempted to yell, his voice coming out as nothing more than a raspy whisper. "We need to go, now."

"Coming!" she called, making her way down the stairs. "I brought my iPod so I won't be bored out of my mind while you're at your appointment." She said as they made there way to the car. "I figure you'll be done way before me so I'm not to worried about finding a ride."

Chris put the car in park and helped his girlfriend out of the passenger seat. "I'm hoping this doesn't take too long. I really just want to go home and sleep," he said as they walked in. "I'll be out as soon as I can. Try not to get in any trouble while I'm gone, okay?" The boy winked his baby blue eye and followed the nurse back into the room.

The blonde musician sat on the bed and waited for what seemed like hours for the doctor to come in, which was really only fifteen minutes. "Hey Chris," the doctor held out his hand, waiting for Chris to shake it. "What exactly seems to be the problem?"

"I've just got a cold or something. I'm not too worried about me, I just wanted to see if I need to take any precautions with being around Rachel," he answered, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"I'm afraid you can't be around her, Chris. At all. Not until you have made a full recovery from this."

"But doc, she needs me right now!" he replied, feeling like he was going to let her down. "I have to be there for her. She has no one else!"

The two talked about all the possible options, it all coming down to one fact. _Chris could not be around Rachel for the next week. _He wrote a prescription for the boy then exited the room. Chris followed him out and sat down in the chair outside, head in his hands.

"I've been looking for you." Rachel smiled as she made her way through the hospital doors and outside. "I thought maybe we could get some ice cream real quick before we go home. It'll make you feel better."

Chris looked up, trying to stay happy just so she wouldn't worry. "Rachel, we need to talk."

"What happened?" She asked, tilting her head a bit as she starred down at him. "They just gave you some meds and you're good to go, right?"

"Not exactly. The thing is, with me being sick like this...I can't be around you, Rachel. It's not good for you. Apparently it could really complicate things and make your situation much worse." Chris stood, taking his girlfriend's hand. "But in a week, I'm going to be right back by your side. I promise."

"A week?" she asked lightly mind already whirling though she didn't let it show, knowing that there was nothing either of them could do. "I-uh- yeah. I can handle a week on my own. Everything will be fine."

"Well I talked to the doctor, and he said that they could send a nurse to your house to take care of you. I think it's a good idea, Rach." Chris kept his distance even though all he wanted to do was take her in his arms, letting her know that everything was going to be okay.

"No, that's OK." She replied. "I can handle it. I guess you just drop me off, then and get yourself some rest."

"Rachel, I don't like the thought of you being by yourself. Maybe Lucas or Nathan can come help or something. Or even Brooke. Just someone to stay with you."

She sighed at his words, "I'll call one of them." She said finally. "You worry about yourself."

"I love you, Rach. I just want you to be okay." Tears filled his baby blues as his thumb stroked her cheek gently.

"Hey, no. I'll be fine." She replied, sending him a light smile, "I'll just get to sleep in without you there to wake me up at the ass crack of dawn."

Chris smiled, pulling her into a hug. "This is the last time I get to do this for a week. It's going to be hard, Rachel."

Rachel shook her head, laughing at the comment, "You'll be glad to have a break from my crazy." She leaned up quickly before he could protest, brushing her lips against his. "If I can get sick just from being close to you, might as well make it count." She shrugged.

Chris nodded his head, pressing his lips to her forehead. "Make sure Toby takes care of you, Rach." The boy finally released his grip on her, their hands pulling apart. He watched her walk to the car, an ache in his heart.

Rachel leaned back against the seat once she made it to her car, letting out a long, aggravated breath. She watched from the mirror as Chris turned, walking away from the car and back into the building. Reluctantly she pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed Luke's number.

"Hey. I'm sorry to bother you, I just know Chris will call you and if he finds out I didn't he'll be pissed."

"It's cool, Rach. What's up?"

"Chris is sick, and he's not allowed back in the house for another week." She paused for a second, hating that she had to ask for help. "He wants me to ask you to stay over until he can get better."

The boy had been waiting for this moment for a week now. Chris burst through the front door, throwing his keys on the table. "Rach?" he called out, Toby running down the stairs and jumping up on him. "Hey boy," the blonde smiled, reaching down and petting him. "Where's your mom?" he asked, quickly following the young pup up the stairs. "Rach?"

The echo of a video game drifted down the hall as Chris approached the door, Rachel and Lucas both sitting on the edge of the bed, Rachel yelling triumphantly while Lucas glared. "I fucking told you I could win by just using my knife, it uses less buttons and I don't have to aim."

"You ran up as I was shooting you and got me a couple times, you got lucky."

"I still win, so pay up, Scott." The girl looked up when Chris cleared his throat, her smile immediately widening. "Baby, hi." She greeted, making her way over to him and planting a kiss on his lips. "I just kicked Luke's ass at Call of Duty."

Chris slid his arms around the girl's tiny waist, picking her up and twirling her around. "I've missed you so much," he said before kissing her again. Blue eyes glanced over at Lucas who was sitting on the bed. "Thanks for staying with her, man. It means a lot."

Lucas nodded his head and stood up. "It was fun, Rachel. I'll catch ya later, Gatina. Next time I won't let you win," he winked. The boy patted Chris's shoulder and walked out of the room.

"So did you miss me?" Chris asked, still holding the girl up.

"Eh." She teased, scrunching up her nose a bit, "I guess, you know. A little bit. Maybe."

"Oh just a little?" he asked, kissing her nose. "Well at least I know one person missed me." Chris released his grip on Rachel and leaned down, playing with the dog.

"You have been his favorite since day one." She shrugged, "We're both glad you're better, Lucas was getting on our nerves. He was even more over protective than you." She pulled him over to the bed and they both sat down, "I need to wash the sheets they smell like Lucas instead of you."

Chris scratched the back of his head. "Lucas slept here? In our bed?" he questioned, feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Not at first." She shrugged sensing his awkwardness, "But then I kept getting sick, and he kept coming up from the pullout couch downstairs and I thought that was stupid so I suggested it. He wanted to sleep on the floor, but he was here to help me, I wasn't going to not let him sleep in the bed. You're not mad are you? It didn't mean anything it was just sleep."

Chris shook his head, trying to be convincing. "Its a little weird but as long as he took care of you." The boy sat there, biting on his lip in silence.

"What?" she asked, "Just get it all out now, if you're mad just be mad, I'm not gonna, like, break or something and don't say nothing's wrong because I can tell."

"It's just weird. I don't know. I don't like the thought of any guy in the same bed with you." Chris laid back, feet hanging off the bed. "Did you two have a fun week?"

"It was fine, but he's no you, you're not allowed to leave me ever again." She replied, "I'm being 100% serious right now, you can never leave."

"Same goes for you," he replied, pulling her back onto him. "You can never leave me," Chris said softly, looking in her eyes.

"I'll do my best." she replied, pushing him down into the mattress and snuggling into his side. "So, who took care of you while you were sick?"

Chris sat there a minute. "Myself," he shrugged. "It was just a biggie. But I'm back and nothing can tear me away from you again." The boy planted a kiss to the top of her head. "What do you want to do today? Anything you want."

"I just want to be with you." She replied, looking up at him and letting her lips brush against his neck. "And maybe get some ice cream."

"We can do that," Chris smiled, sitting up. "You wanna go out to get it? Or do you want me to bring it to you?"

"We can go out if you want." She replied, "Let me just find that hat I got a couple days ago, I can't remember where I put it." She moved over to the end of the bed, dangling off the edge and grabbing at something under the bed. "I thought that was where it ended up. I'm having mad cravings so we should go."

Chris helped the redhead up off the bed and down the stairs. "You okay?" he asked, as she squeezed his hand.

"I'm fine." She replied, "I'm old news, most people are over it by now anyway."

Chris helped the girl in the car and they took off down the street. "I'm glad I'm back, Rachel. I missed you like crazy. Those phone calls weren't enough for me," he said, squeezing her leg.

"Even the dirty ones?" she teased, "Have I lost my touch as the master at dirty talk, because I've never had complaints before."

"Hmm. No, those were perfect," he smiled. "Although I much rather have the real thing."

The two pulled up to the gelato shop, with Chris running over and opening Rachel's door. "After you, babe."

"You're overly polite to me sometimes." She laughed, "I feel like one day you're just gonna snap back into being a normal teenager."

"Yeah, it's gonna suck for you when that day comes," he teased. Chris opened the door for his girlfriend and followed her inside. "Anything you want, because...you're buying," he grinned.

"Shocker." She responded, "I want 3 scoops of mint chocolate chip." She said as she approached the counter. "In a waffle cone and he wants something really picky I'm sure of it."

"I'll have the same," Chris ordered, sticking his tongue out at Rachel. "I'm not that complicated." As the man behind the counter handed them their cones, the two took a seat. "So I have somewhere I want to go after this. You up for that?"

"Color me intrigued." She responded with a smile. "Now I have to eat fast. Does it involve a present for me cause that would be awesome."

Chris shifted in his seat. "Kind of. It's more of a surprise than a present." His eyes avoided hers as he continued to eat his ice cream.

"Okay, we can eat and drive." She replied, tossing him the keys as she stood up. "Come on, Keller I don't do well with suspense."

Chris nodded and followed her out to the car. He was pretty much silent the whole drive there, figuring out what he was going to say. "We're here," he said softly, looking over at her.

"And here is?" she asked quietly, looking out at the building, the jewelry store logo proudly displayed on the front. "What are we doing here?"

Chris turned his body to face the redhead completely. "Rachel, I am so in love with you. Nothing has ever made me half as happy as being with you does. I never want to know what it feels like to be without you." The boy took in a deep breath and swallowed hard, as he took her hand in his own. "Rachel Gatina, will you marry me?"


End file.
